30,000 Children, 407 Schools: Lagos Steps Up Basic Education Reforms

In a major stride towards addressing the crisis of out-of-school children, the Lagos State Government says it has reintegrated over 30,000 children into the school system between 2024 and now.
Commissioner for Basic Education, Tolani Alli-Balogun, disclosed this on Tuesday at a ministerial briefing to mark the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office. According to him, the state’s intervention reflects its belief that every child deserves access to quality education, regardless of background.
“Education is the bridge to opportunity, and Lagos cannot afford to leave its young people behind,” Alli-Balogun said.
To absorb the influx, the state government has established 407 new primary and secondary schools across its 20 local government areas. The commissioner further announced that principals and vice principals must now take up classroom teaching responsibilities for six and eight periods per week, respectively — a move designed to drive leadership by example and bridge teacher shortages.
While these efforts are commendable, education analysts caution that reintegration alone is not enough. Lagos, Nigeria’s most populous state with over 20 million residents, faces the dual challenge of overcrowded classrooms and maintaining quality standards.
The Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA) has been tasked with stricter monitoring to curb issues such as truancy, absenteeism, and misconduct among teachers — critical to ensuring that returning pupils receive meaningful education rather than just access to school buildings.
Experts argue that tackling the out-of-school problem is vital to Lagos’ broader aspiration of becoming Africa’s leading mega city. Without adequate investment in human capital development, the risk of unemployment, insecurity, and social instability may intensify in the coming decades.
By returning thousands of vulnerable children to the classroom, Lagos is not only correcting past educational lapses but also building a more inclusive, skilled future workforce — a necessary foundation for sustainable urban growth and global competitiveness